Floor-scrubbing machine.



4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

11. (400113. FLOOR SGRUBBING MAGHINB.

AP PLIOATION FILED MAR. 21, 1914.

Wmeaeafi:

0 a I I I I R. GOODE.

FLOORSGEUBBING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MARJ21, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Fri/Q96.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

' g; 5% if? f, 1

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHom-LITHQ, WAsn ING TON, a C.

v R. eoonz. FLOOR SQRUBBING MACHINE. I APPLICATION FILED MARJZI, 19 14.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

4 SHBETSSHEBT 3.

Gqo'le, Wwww R. GOODE; v FLOOR SCRUBBING MACHINE.

A PPLICATION FILED MAR. 21, 1914.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

ROBERT GOODE', OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FLOOR-SCRUBBING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

Application filed March 21, 1914. Serial No. 826,229.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT Goonn, a citizenof the United States, and resident of Boston, Dorchester district, inthe county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Floor-Scrubbing Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a scrubbing machine adaptedto thoroughly clean a floor without leaving free water thereon, and itconsists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe andclaim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a machine embodying myinvention; Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of the sprocketwheel shipper hereinafter referred to; Fig. 3 represents a top planview; Fig. 4 represents a fragmentary view illustrating the shiftablesprocket wheel hereinafter described and the shaft on which it ismounted; Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6represents a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 represents a sectionon line 7 of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 represents a fragmentary section similar toa portion of Fig. 7, certain parts being shown in different positionsfrom those shown by Fig. 7; Fig. 9 represents a perspective view of therocking cross-bar hereinafter described; Fig. 10 represents Fig. 11represents a section on line 1 1-11 of Fig. 1; Figs. 12 and 13 representplan views of the gang of brushes hereinafter described and parts of themechanism for oscillating said brushes.

The same reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in allthe views.

The supporting frame of the machine is supported by rubber tired taction wheels 12 and 12 and includes longitudinal side members 13 andsuitable transverse members 14 (Fig. 7) rigidly connecting the sidemembers. The traction wheels are mounted on stub axles 15 (Fig. 3)attached to the frame members 13.

Journaled in bearings in the frame members 13 are a series of transverseshafts carrying sprocket wheels which engage and support two endlesswiper carryin sprocket chains 16. One of said shafts 1 is power driven,said shaft being connected with and driven 'by the wheel 12 as herein asection on line 10-10 of Fig.7

after described, and provided with sprocket wheels 18 which drive thechains 16. The other transverse shafts 19 rotate loosely and carry idlesprocket wheels 20, which are arranged as shown by Figs. 1 and 7 tosupport the chains gitudinal stretches and in intermediate forward andrear end stretches, the lower stretches being parallel with the floor onwhich the machine acts, and the forward stretches being inclinedrelatively to the floor as shown by Fig. 7.

The driven shaft 17 has a gear 21 (Figs. 1 and 3) meshing with a gear 22which.is mounted on a short shaft 23 journaled in bearings formed inframe bars 24, 25 attached to and offset from one of the longitudinalframe members 13, said frame member having a recess 26 (Figs. 1 and 3)across which the bars 24 and 25 extend, said recess receiving the gears21, 22. The shaft 23 has a squared inner portion and a cylindrical outerportion, as shown by Fig. 4, and on it is mounted a laterally movable orshiftable sprocket wheel 27 which is connected with a rotary drivingmember on the traction wheel 12, said member being a sprocket wheel 29connected with the shiftable sprocket wheel 27 by a sprocket chain 28. i

The shiftable sprocket wheel 27 has a squared socket 31 and is normallyheld by a spring 30 (Fig. 3) with its socket in engagement with thesquared portion of the shaft 23 as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, sothat the rotation of said wheel drives the wiper-carrying chains 16. Thesprocket wheel 27 is shiftable by a wedge-shaped shipper 32, operated ashereinafter described, onto the cylindrical portion of the shaft 23, asshown by full lines in Fig. 4, to stop the rotation of the shaft 23 andthe operation of the wiper-carrying chains 16. Said chains carry aseries of wipers 33, each of which is a flexible rubber blade clamped bya metal strip 34 against an arm 35 (Fig. 11). Said arm is mounted tooscillate on a pintle rod 36 attached to ears 37 on a carrying plate orbed 38, which is secured to the chains 16 by transverse rod 39 securedat its ends to said chains as shown by Figs. 7 and 11, and passingthrough socketed blocks or lugs 40 affixed to the carrying plate 38. V

The arm 35 is held yieldingly by springs 41 (Fig. 11) against astop rod42 support ed by cars 43 attached to the carrying plate 16 in upper andlower lon- 38, the arrangement being such that a wiper 33 in contactwith the floor yields backwardly from the stop rod 42, as shown at thelower portion of Fig. 7, said wiper being therefore pressed yieldinglyagainst the floor. lVhen the wiper passes away from the floor and fromthe inclined pan hereinafter described, the springs 41 force the arm 35against the stop rod 42, as shown by the upper and right-hand portion ofFig. 7.

r 44 represents a water tank supported by the transverse frame members14 between the longitudinal frame members 13. A pipe line 45 extendsfrom said tank to the front portion of the machine where it terminatesin a transverse horizontal perforated distributer 45 adapted todischarge water from the tank upon the floor in front of a series organg of brushes 46 which are oscillated by powercommunicated ashereinafter described from the traction wheel 12. The distributer 45 is,covered by a hood 47. As shown by Figs. 7, 12, and 13, the brushes 46are connected by pivot bolts 48 to a transverse bar 49, said bolts beingmovable vertically in said bar, and the brushes being ingly against thefloor.

. rection of the wheel 64 on a pressed downwardly by springs 50 interposed between their backs and the bar 49 as far as the heads of thebolts, bearing on said bar, will permit, provision being thus made for.pressing the brush bristles yield- The brushes, four are connected bypar- 7 adapted to oscillate bepositions shown by Figs. 12 and ey arenormally held in the position of which are shown, allel bars 51 and aretween the 13. Th

shown by Fig. 13 by springs 52 connecting the brush at one end of theseries with ears 59 attached to the bar 49. Pivoted to the bolt 48 atone end of the series is a head 53 having two oppositely inclined faces'54 and two oppositely projecting arms 55 having rolls 56 which bear onthe edge of the brush head atone endv of the series. A vertical shaft57, journaled in hearings on a'frame bar 60 (Figs. 3, 12 and 13)attached to one 'of the longitudinal frame-members 1 3 and provided withoppositely projecting tappet arms 61, is rotated from the traction wheel12" by a sprocket wheel 62 attached to the hub of said traction wheel, asprocket chain 63 connecting the wheel 62 with a sprocket short shaft 65.journaled in the frame bar 60, and a bevel gear 66 meshing with a bevelgear 67 on the tappet shaft 57. The rotation of the shaft 57 in the di-V arrow in Fig. 13 causes its arms 61 to cooperate alternately with oneof the faces '54 in positively moving the brushes from Fig. 13 to Fig.12 position, the springs 52 returning the brushes lyieldingly to Fig. 13position after each tappetarm u passes said face 54. :The other face 54oooperates with the tappet arms in the same bing action on thefloor.

.the frame .menibers 13.

' contact. with the floor.

posite direction. The described 'inove'inents of the brushes cause themto exert a scrub- The water left on the floor behind the advancingbrushes is carried by the wipers 33 on the lower stretches of the chains16 to an inclined sheet metal pan 69-and iip wardly along said pan to aguide 71 between said pan and a collecting tank 70,

which is attached by ears 72 to the forward portions of the framemembers 13.j The pan 69 has a curved lower edge adapted to slide on thefloor and is connected by a pivot bolt 73 with a rocking 'cross bar'74(Fig. 9) the ends of which have trunnions 75' journaled in hearings ininclinedframe'bars 76 (Figs. '7 and 10) suitablyconnected with The pan69 is therefore-adapted to swing on a horizontal axis formed by the bar74, so, that its lower edge is movable toward and from the floor, theconnection ofthe pan with said bar by the pivot bolt'73 permittingtheedge of the an. to conform to slight inclinations of the floor.The'inclined bars 76 are preferably the side members of a rectangularframe which is movable independently of the frame members 13 to raiseand lower the pan 69, the said inclined bars being connected byhorizontal bars .78, 79 and 80, which complete said movable frame.attached to the frame bars 79 and 80 as shown by Figs. 7 and 16. Aspring 81 (Fig. 7), attached to an ear on the lower bar 78 and to thepan 69, holds the lower The guide 71 is iii) pan carrying water'collectedfrom the'floor,

the wiper bearing yieldingly against the pan. When the wiper rises abovethe rocking bar 74, its pressure against the pan swings or tilts thelatter against the guide 71, as shown by Fig. 8, so that the waterpropelled along the pan by the wiper is also propelled along the guideuntil it passes over the curved upper edge of the guide and falls intothe collecting tank 170. The tilting of the pan at the same time raisesits lower edge from the floor freely over without displacing a patch ofwater on the floor until the wiper leaves the upper edge of the 78restores the lower edge of the panto WVhen the wiper leaves the guide 71the springs 41 restore it to its normal position against the stop rod 2,her r ma un it age-pacemso that it passes,

pan, when the spring ters the floor. The pan is provided with guardstrips 83 (Fig. 10), which form dams or curbs to prevent the waterpropelled by the wipers from flowing outwardly from the ends of thewipers. Said guard strips may be movably supported by links 84 pivotedto the strips and to the pan, and pressed yieldingly inward against theends of the wipers by springs 85 connected with the pan and with two ofsaid links, as shown by Fig. 10, the springs holding the links withwhich they are connected against stops 86, and the lower ends of theinner edges of the strips being curved to permit the easy entrance ofthe wipers between the strips. It will now be seen that when the machineis pushed along the floor in the direction of the arrow :0 (Fig. 7),water delivered by the distributer 45 is supplied to the brushes whichscrub the floor. The pan 69, intermittently raised from the floor asdescribed, coiiperates with the wipers 33 and guide 71 in conveying thewater to the collecting tank 70, so that all the free water is removedfrom the floor.

Means are provided for raising the brushes and the wipers carried by thelower stretches of the chains 16 from the floor when the machine is tobe transported ,without operating, the means here shown for raising thebrushes being next described. The ends of the brush-carrying bar 49 areloosely connected by links 88 with the frame members 13. Said links areadapted to swing vertically and are located over short lifting arms orcams 89 on a rockshaft 90 which is journaled in bearings in fixed earsor brackets 91. The rockshaft 90 has another arm 92 which is connectedby a rod 93 with one arm of a bell crank lever 94 pivoted at 95 to therear end portion of one of the frame members 13. The other arm of thebell crank lever 94 is connected. by a rod 96 with one arm 97 of a bellcrank lever which is pivoted at 98, the other arm 99 of said lever beingformed as a handle to be manipulated by the operator. A movement of thehandle 99 from the full line to the dotted line position (Fig. 1) movesthe rockshaft 90 through the described connections from the positionshown by Fig. 7 to that shown by Fig. 1, the cam arms 89 being thuscaused to swing the links 88 upwardly and raise the brushes. Therockshaft 90 may be provided with additional lifting arms 100 adapted tobear on levers 101, which are pivoted at 102 and are connected with atransverse bar 103 carrying a rubber wiper 104 which is adapted to bearon the floor in advance of the water distributor 45 and draw water awayfrom the edge of the floor when the machine is moved backwardly. lVhenthe rockshaft is turned to the position shown by Fig. 7, the arms 100raise the rear ends of the levers 101 and depress their forward ends,thus pressing the wiper 104 against the floor. When the rockshaft 90 isturned to Fig. 1 position a spring 106 connected with one of the levers101 raises the wiper 104 from the floor.

The following means are employed for raising the lower wipers 33 and atthe same time the pan 69 from the floor. Two elongated guide bars 105,which are L-shaped in cross section as shown by Fig. 11, are pivoted attheir rear ends to arms 106 on a transverse rockshaft 107 and havehorizontal portions extending parallel with the floor and upturnedforward end portions which are parallel with the ascending forwardstretches of the chains 16. The bars 105 are provided with ears orbrackets 108 which are pivoted to arms 109 on a transverse rockshaft110, having additional arms 111 pivoted to the lower portions of themembers 76 of the movable pan-carrying frame. The upper portions of saidmembers 76 are connected by links 112 with a rod 113 supported by carson the frame members 13. The rockshaft 107 has an arm 114 which isconnected by a rod 115 with one arm of. a bell crank lever 116 pivotedat 117. The other arm of lever 116 is connected by a rod 118 with onearm of a lever 119, which is pivoted at 120. The other arm of said leverbears on a projection 121 on a push bar 122 pivoted at 123 to one framemember 13 and connected by a handle bar 123 with a push bar 124 pivotedto the other frame member 13. When the handle bar and push levers (whichare used to propel the machine) are depressed from the full line to thedotted line position shown by Fig. 1, the projection 121 imparts movement through the described connections to the rockshaft 107 and turnsthe latter in the direction required to raise the arms 106 to the dottedline position (Fig. 1), thus causing said arms to move the guide bars105 rearwardly and upwardly, the arms 109 connected with the forwardportions of the guide bars swinging upwardly and rearwardly at the sametime, so that all parts of the guide bars are equally raised. The lowerflanges of the L-shaped guide bars 105 bear on the end portions of thelower edges of the wiper-carrying arms 35, as shown by Fig. 11, so thatthe elevation of the guide bars causes the arms 35 and the wipers 33 toswing upwardly, the wipers being thus raised from the floor. At the sametime the arms 111 engaged with the side members 7 6 of the movablepan-carrying frame raise said frame and with it the pan so that thelower edge of the pan clears the floor. In Fig. 1 I have shown by dottedlines the raised position of the arms 106, but have not shown thecorresponding positions of the guide bars 105, the lower wipers and thepan 69, because such showing would impair the clearness of the figure.When thehandle and push bars are released a spring 130 conncted with themeeting ends of the rod 118 and lever-11 9 restores said rod and lever,and theother members which move therewith, to the full line position ofFig. 1, the

. lever 119 being held by the spring against a stop 131. The shipper 32is connected with thelever 119 and is moved thereby, as shown bydottedlines (Fig. 1) to shift the sprocket wheel 27 to its inoperativeposition when the handle and push bars are depressed, and is restored bythe spring 130 to the full line position (Fig. 1), to permit thesprocket,

wheel 27 to be shifted by the spring to its operative position.

133 represents a boiler supported above the frame of themachine andabove a heater or burner 1.3% of any suitable type. A pipe line 135connects the boiler with the pipe line 45, so that steam generated inthe boiler may pass with the water from the tank 4A;

to the distributer $5, the water being thus heated.- The boiler may beprovided with a testing cook, a glass gage tube 136 and a supply openingclosed by a cap 137.

138. represents a sand hopper resting loosely on a ring-shaped bracket139 and arm of said lever projecting into thepath ofthe spokes of thewheel 12, and held yi'eldingly in said path by a spring 1 16. The lever143 is oscillated by thesaid spokes and spring and reciprocates the rod141 sulficiently to jar the'hopper. More than one discharge pipel iO maybe employed or the said pipemaybe bifurcated to deliver sand at two ormore points. Oblique wipers 1417 are connected by arms 148 with thebrush bar 19, said wipers being adapted to bearon the floor and arrangedas indicated byFig. 12,

1 to deflect water inwardlyfroni opposite ends of the seriesof brushesand confine the water to an area the width-of which is preferably lessthan the length of the wipers 33.

Fig. 7 shows a cock 149 in the pipeline 15,

saidcock having an arm 150 whereby it may be opened and closed. Tooperatesaid arm I provide a lever 151- pivoted at 152 and connected by arod 153 with the cock arm. The 'lever may be locked by a notched segment1 53 and a latch'l5e. The collecting tank may be connected with thesupply tank :41 by a pipe line 155 adapted to conduct water from thecollecting tank to the supply tank. Therear end of the machine isprovided with a caster 156. 157 represents a guard projecting above thefront side of the tank 70 toarrest-water thrown off by the wipers whenthey springto their normal positions after leaving the guide .71.Tensioning sprocketwheels 1558, may: be engaged with the upper stretchesof the chains 16,

said wheels being mounted on swinging.

arms 159 and pressed upwardly. by springs 160. The machine would beoperativewithout the supply tank 44, water being otherwise supplied tothe brushes. The inachinfe .-would alsobe operative for wiping andremoving free water from a floor without the brushes. Steam from the1301161 133 may be delivered by the distributer 45 for the ,pur.-

pose of sterilizing a floor, the supply of water from the tank 14: beingshut off by any suitable means, such as a plug or stopper insertedin theend of the pipe line -15 which enters said tank.

Having described my invention, I claim: 1. A. scrubb ng machinecomprising a I wheeled frame, scrubbing means at the for ward end of theframe,a water collect ng tank and means for transferring free water fromthe floor behind the scrubbing meansto 'said collecting tank, said meansincluding a pa1r of endless sprocket chains, supports therefor mountedon said frame and 'ary ranged toguide portions of the chainsjinhorlzontallower stretches parallelwith 'the floor and in forwardstretches inclined rela-,

tively tothe floor, a series of; flexible-wipers,

means flexibly connecting the wipers with the chalns and havingprovisions for yield-' ingly pressing said wipers outwardly from thechains and permitting the wipers to yield inwardly, and an inclined panmount ed on the frame and arrangedsubstantially parallel with theinclined forward stretches of the chains, the wipers being yieldinglypan while mov' I,

pressed against the floor and ing in contact therewith.

2. A scrubbing machine comprising: a

wheeled frame, scrubbing means at the for-- ward endof .the frame, awater collecting.

tank and means for transferringfree water from the floor behind thescrubbing means to. said collecting tank, said means including a pair ofendless sprocket chains, supports therefor mounted on said frame and ar'ranged to guide portions of the chains in ingly pressing said wipersoutwardly from the chains and permitting the wipers to yield inwardly,an inclined pan mounted on the frame and arranged substanti allyparallel with theinclined forward stretchesjof the chains, the wipersbeing yieldingly pressed against the floor and pan while moving in,

contact therewith, and a guide interposed between the upper end of thepan and the collecting tank and adapted to direct water rom the P we thWi e t e p being mounted to swing on ,a horizontal axis and yieldinglyheld with its lower end against the floor and its upper end separatedfrom the guide, whereby the wipers are caused to move the upper end ofthe pan against the guide and raise the lower end of the pan from thefloor;

3. A scrubbing machine comprising a wheeled frame, a water collectingtank, means for transferring. free water from the floor to said tank,said means including a pair of endless sprocket chains, supportstherefor mounted on said frame and arranged to guide portions of thechains in horizontal lower stretches parallel with the floor and inforward stretches inclined relatively to the floor, a series of flexiblewipers, means flexibly connecting the wipers with the chains and havingprovisions for yieldingly pressing said wipers outwardly from the chainsand permitting the wipers to yield inwardly, an inclined pan mounted onthe frame and arranged substantially parallel with the inclined forwardstretches of the chains, the wipers being yieldingly pressed against thefloor and pan while moving in contact therewith, and means for raisingthe lower stretches of the chains, the wipers thereon, and the pan, fromthe floor.

4. A scrubbing machine comprising a wheeled frame, a pair of endlesschains, means for supporting and driving said chains, and a series ofwipers and supporting means therefor carried by said chains, eachwiper-supporting means including a bed attached to and bridging thespace between the chains, an arm hinged to the bed, and attached to thewiper, a spring acting on said arm, and a stop against which the arm isnormally pressed by the spring, the arm and wiper being adapted to yieldbackwardly from the stop.

5. A scrubbing machine comprising a wheeled frame, a gang of brusheslocated at the forward portion of the frame and connected forsimultaneous oscillatory movement, and means for oscillating saidbrushes in unison, said means including a member rotated by one of thetraction wheels adapted to positively move the brushes in one direction,and resilient means for moving the brushes in the opposite direction.

6. A scrubbing machine comprising a wheeled frame, a gang of brusheslocated. at the forward portion of the frame, a bar to which the brushesare pivoted, parallel rods connecting the brushes at opposite sides ofthe bar, a head pivoted to the bar and having an. oblique face and armsbearing on one of the brushes, a vertical shaft having tappet armsadapted to engage said inclined face and positively move the head andbrushes in one direction, a sprocket wheel on one of the tractionwheels, connections between said wheel and the said vertical shaft, thebrushes being moved positively in one direction by the rotation of saidshaft, and springs adapted to yieldingly move the brushes in theopposite direction.

7. A scrubbing machine comprising a wheeled frame, a pair of endlesssprocket chains and supports therefor mounted on the frame, saidsupportsbeing arranged to guide portions of the chains in horizontal stretchesparallel with the floor, transverse arms flexibly connected with thechains and having flexible wipers, L-shaped guide bars having horizontalportions engaging the end portions of the arms on the lower stretches ofthe chains, oscillatory arms connecting said guide bars with supports onthe frame, and means for moving the oscillatory arms at one end of theguide bars to raise said bars and the wiper arms engaged therewith.

8. A scrubbing machine comprising a wheeled frame, a pair of endlesssprocket chains and supports therefor mounted on the frame, saidsupports being arranged to guide portions of the chains in horizontalstretches parallel with the floor, transverse arms flexibly connectedwith the chains and having flexible wipers, L-shaped guide bars havinghorizontal portions engaging the end portions of the arms on the lowerstretches of the chains, oscillatory arms connecting said guide barswith supports 011 the frame, and means for moving the oscillatory armsat one end of the guide bars to raise said bars and the wiper armsengaged therewith, said guide bars having inclined portions extendingparallel with portions of the chains.

9. A scrubbing machine comprising a wheeled frame, a pair of endlesssprocket chains and supports therefor mounted on the frame, saidsupports being arranged to guide portions of the chains in horizontalstretches parallel with the floor, the supports including a driven shafthaving sprocket wheels engaged with said chains, a driving sprocketwheel on one of the traction wheels of the machine, driving connectionsbetween said driving wheel and the said driven shaft, said connectionsincluding a shiftable member and means cooperating therewith for makingsaid member alternately operative or inoperative, transverse armsflexibly connected with the chains and having flexible wipers, L-shapedguide bars having horizontal portions engaging the end portions of thearms on the lower stretches of the chains, oscillatory arms connectingsaid guide bars with supports on the frame, push bars pivoted to theframe of the machine and adapted to swing vertically, connectionsbetween one of said push bars and the oscillatory arms at one end of theguide bars, whereby the depression of the push Wheeled frame,v scrubbingmeans located bars'raises the guide bais and the Wiper arms engagedtherewith, and a shipper for said shiftable. sprocket Wheel engaged withsaid Connections and movable by the depression of the push bars to shiftsaid sprocket Wheel to its inoperative position.

10. Ascrubbing machine comprising a at the forwardlportion of the frame,a supply tanksupported by the frame, a pipe line extending from saidtank and termihating.- in a distribute!- j l'o cated near-the boilerandconnnunicating with the pipe line 15 from the supply tank.

signature, in presence of two witnesses. I

ROBERT GOODEQ Witnesses: p

O. F. BROWN, -P. W. P ZZETI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe qommissiener o1 I'atents,

Washington, D. C.

In testimony whereof I haiIe affixed my Tl

